Body Scan Settle yourself into your chair,
Sitting in a nice comfortable upright confident position that embodies your intention to practice mindfulness.
And if you're happy to do so,
Close your eyes.
Or if you prefer,
Simply hold them in soft focus,
Gazing downwards.
Starting off this exercise by focusing on the present moment sensations of breathing.
No need to alter anything.
How you're breathing right now is just fine.
Simply using the natural rhythm of your breath as an anchor for your present moment awareness.
And if your mind wanders,
That's fine.
It's just what minds do.
Just kindly and gently escort your attention back to focusing on the sensations of breathing in this moment in time.
Tuning into the sensations of the breath coming in.
And the sensations as the breath goes out.
Now move in the spotlight of your attention right the way down to your feet.
And very specifically to your right foot.
Even more specifically to your right big toe.
How does your right big toe feel in this moment in time?
You may feel subtle sensations.
You may feel nothing at all.
The important thing is just looking to see what you can notice.
Which may vary from moment to moment.
Now shifting the spotlight of your attention across to your left big toe.
What can you notice about how your left big toe feels in this moment in time?
Does your left big toe feel the same or subtly different?
What's your right big toe?
Looking for differences and looking for similarities.
And now move in the spotlight of your attention across to your right little toe.
What sensations are present in your right little toe in this moment in time?
Tuning into the sensations or a lack of sensations.
Seeing what you can notice.
Now shifting the spotlight of your attention across to your left little toe.
How's your left little toe at this moment in time?
What sensations if any can you notice?
Are the sensations similar or different to the right little toe?
And again moving the spotlight of your attention this time to the whole of the right foot.
How is your right foot feeling in this moment in time?
Try to be as specific as you can.
And shifting the spotlight of your attention now to the left foot.
How is the whole of the left foot feeling in this moment in time?
Does the left foot feel the same or subtly different from the right foot?
Changing the focus of your attention to your right lower leg.
Tuning into the sensations in your calf.
Tuning into the sensations in your shin.
Noticing any and all sensations in your right lower leg.
Changing the spotlight of your attention now across to the left lower leg.
How's the left lower leg feeling in this moment in time?
Does the left lower leg feel the same or maybe subtly different from the right lower leg?
And if your mind has wandered that's fine.
Then congratulate yourself on having noticed that your mind has wandered.
And kindly and gently escort your attention back to focusing this time on the right upper leg.
What sensations if any can you notice in the right upper leg?
And shifting again the spotlight of your attention this time across to the left upper leg.
How's the left upper leg feeling in this moment in time?
Does the left upper leg feel the same or maybe subtly different from the right upper leg?
Now moving the spotlight of your attention to your torso.
What can you notice about how your torso feels in this moment in time?
Seeing if you can move the spotlight of your attention to your intestines.
What if anything can you notice about how your intestines are feeling in this moment in time?
Can you notice anything about how your stomach feels at this moment?
No rights or wrongs,
Just seeing what you can notice without judgement.
Can you notice maybe how your liver feels?
Perhaps you can notice how your kidneys feel.
Again just looking to see what you can notice.
Focusing your attention on how your heart feels.
What sensations if any can you detect in your heart?
Is it possible for you to focus on how your lungs are feeling as the air enters and leaves your body?
And now moving the spotlight of your attention right the way to the base of your spine.
And examining each vertebrae one at a time moving up the spine until you reach your shoulders.
And if your mind wanders that's fine,
It's just what minds do.
Just kindly and gently escort it back this time to your shoulders.
How is your right shoulder feeling in this moment in time?
What sensations if any are present?
Moving the spotlight of your attention across to your left shoulder and again exploring any sensations that may or may not be present.
Does the left shoulder feel any different from the right shoulder?
Noticing any differences?
Noticing any similarities?
And moving once more the spotlight of your attention this time across to your right arm and hand.
What sensations do you notice in your right arm and hand in this moment in time?
Subtle sensations or maybe stronger sensations?
And moving the spotlight of your attention across to your left arm and hand and again focusing in to see what you can notice.
Are there any differences or similarities between the right and left arms?
Are the sensations similar or subtly different in any way?
Now moving the spotlight of your attention to your neck.
What sensations can you notice in your neck in this moment in time as it supports the weight of your head?
And now moving the spotlight of your attention to your head.
How does your jaw feel?
What sensations can you detect on your lips or perhaps on your nose?
Possibly your ears?
Your cheeks?
Your eyes?
Your forehead?
And your scalp?
And bringing this exercise to a close by pausing for a few moments to get a sense of how your whole body feels as you sit in this chair,
In this room,
In this moment in time.
And when you're ready to do so,
Open your eyes,
Ready for the rest of the day ahead.
